Vehicle-tire.



J. T. FITCH. VEHICLE 1111.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, |915.

Patented Apr. 11,1916. i

W5 1U. um JU A non/VHS 'citizen of the United States,

' particularly. motor UNITED srarns a JOHN THOMAS FITCH, 0F HELPR, UTAH.

vniiIcLE-Tnn.

specification of Letters raient.

Patented Apr. 1i, 1916.

' Application inea May as, '1915. seriai No. 30,512.

tire which is of no greater initial cost, of

` tion taken on the panying drawings vcuinferential rows,

ver low maintenance cost, which prevents accidents now due to blow-outs, which enables repair of any required portion of the` tire without removing the tire entirely from a wheel, and which possesses lall the advantages of the pneumatic tire without any of its disadvantages.

The inventionis fully described in the following specification, of which the accomform a part, in which like reference characters refer to like parts in each of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a wheel provided with my invention, partly in section; Fig. 2 is an enlarged secline 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a face view of a-section'of a spacing rim which Iemploy; Fig. 4 isa side view thereof; Fig. 5 is a face view of-a frame section.

with the meansfor holding theisame 'to a. wheel; Fig. 6 isa sidel view of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detached view of one member of a lock which I employ; and Fig. 8 is a detached view of a complemental member.

In the drawings forming a part of this application I have shown -one embodiment of my invention mounted upon a wheel 9 havingV the usual or any desired. felly 10, said tire consisting of a plurality of resilient blocks 11 resting upon said felly in 4close relationship in either one or a plurality of cirthree being illustrated. These may be hollow as shown according to the type of'vehicle upon which their useris if so they may be iniated with air under pressure, no means being shown, however, for such inflation as this may be'accomplished in the manufacture of being previously intended, and,

flatedform will be better adapted for pleasure vehicles, .than the conventional solid form as now used on trucks. These blocks have, each, a projecting flange 12 on each the positions of therespective spaces,

-rim 15 is in place,

yside thereof to provide' inner.' and outer shoulders onthe four sides, the former for an inner rim formed of a plurality of arcuate 4sections 13 'having a' plurality of spaces therein ofthe size of and adapted to receive the blocks l1 at inner shoulders bear on the. rim sections in being clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and

it will bev seen that the blocks are thus positioned in lspaced relationship.- This rim may loe-made of one piece-entirely encirclingthe felly 10 and legs or spacers 14k are provided on the inner side thereof to maintain the isa-mein spaced relationship with the felly.

' the blocks may With the rim 18 in place, be inserted into the' respective spaces thereof and, 1if the dimensions of said blocks are correct, said blocks will be held in place by frictional contact with the rim to allow Athe installation of the means for locking said blocks in position. This means includes an outer rim 15 composed of a plurality of arcuate sections of inverted channel form in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 2, and prol vided with complemental spaces therein reg' istering with the vspaces in the rim 13 through which the respectiveblocks 11 are passe the length of these sections of the rim 15 being such as to enable the installation thereof over said blocks and, when the the blocks are held against radial, lateral, or circumferential,

displacement with respect to the felly v10.

To anchor' each ner surface of the felly which are adapted to this of the sections of the rim 15 in place I provide staples 16 on the intheir inner ends so that the l receive a laterally arranged bolt 17 having an angular extension 18 provided4 with a eye 19 at one end and witha reduced,'an gular in cross-section, axial extension 20 hatvi'ng a threaded end to receive a nut 21,.

the eye 19 being approximately on one side of the wheel and the axial extension 20being on the other side of said wheel, and the bolt or rod 17 being arranged transversely of the felly and rotatable in the staples 16.

Held against rotation on the axial extension 20 is an angular hook 22 which is 'in detachable engagement with a hook-eye 23 bearing on the outer periphery of the rim 15 on the inner side of the wheel, the outward strain on the eye end of the rod 17 tending todraw the respective section of the rim 15 inwardly of the wheel on the corresponding side thereof.

ieri

tion enables quick `Passed inwardly through the eye l) is an eye-bolt 24 which is engaged at its eye end with a hook-eye similar to the hook-eye 23 and bears on the outer periphery oli" the rim l5 on 'the outer side of the Wheel, nut 26 servingl to dranT the section of the rim l5 on this side et the Wheel to lock said rim section to the telly and lock the blocks l1 in position.

lVhen the nut 26 is renmved from the eyeloolt 24:, the hook-eye 25 may be removed lrom the respective rim i' ',ction, thus permit ting1 rotation o1" the rod l?" in supporting staples, whereby the hook-eye 9,3 may be removed from the said rim section to permit the removal of the latter te remove. one orl tor repair or to substitute taking but an instant.

more blocks as will loe seen.

ift Will thus be seen that provide a tire which is composed of a plurality of distinct units arranged in one roiv plurality of rows, as shown, and it will noted that, in the latter case, the bl clfs staggered with respect to each other in order to prevent .vear'oit the `laterally arranged ones at the same points; this vunit constrnfrand inexpensive repair to anv necessary ooint on a tire Without a ilocting 'the remainder thereoiC and, While the initial cost ot my tire will be no greater than that of a'conventional pneumatic tire, the upkeep cost will be very low.

The blocks may be made solid or hollow, in 'the latter casecontaining airunder atmospheric or other pressure, and the resiliency ot a pneumatic tire may be equaled by my tire according` to the degree ot' resiliency ot the rubber 'or other material of which my blocks are composed.

While l have'shown a preferred form of block, and preferred means ttor holding tlieinin place, I do not confine myself there.- to, but may make changes thereover, Within the scope of the following claims, Without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what l claim as new, and desi re to secure by LettersPatent, is zA l. The combination with the elly of a Wheel, oi a'spacing rim provided with a plurality of openings therethrough, means t'o'r holding the same at a distance trom said l'elly, a locking' rim provided with openings in register with the respectivel openings in said spacing' rim, a tread block in the respeo v to said telly.

pl ura lity o t it desired or'in aand proviced with a flange intermediate Liver/oo on sa i d tive openings in both rims bearing telly and provided with a flange intern ate the height thereof imprisoned b^ said rims, and means lor holding s.

combination vv'itlr a tell" Wheel, oit spacing rim provided y'wit rality of openings therethrough, E, holding' the same at a distance 'trot' telly, a locking rim provided with oIJ in register with the respective opern`` said spacing rim, atread block in the i.-- tire openings oi both rims bearino' telly and provided with a flange i l ate the height thereoi. imprisoned said rims. and means for holding ,4 s to said telly4 3. The combination with the ielly o Wheel, oi a spacing rim provided openings therethrough.u i

for holding,l the same at a distance liro telly, a locking' rim provided With a` ity of openings in register with .the tive openings oi said spacing rim and radially directed iiang'es bearingon the oi. :aid telly, ay tread bloeit in the respc openings ot both. rims bearing;q on Vsaid tel' imprisoned between said to height thereof rims, and means for holding' said rims said telly.

4.-. rlhc combination with the telly et a Wheel, oi' a` spacing rim provided with a` plurality olf openings therethrough, means 'lor holding' the same at a distance from said telly, a` locking rim provided with openings in register with the respective openings or' said spacing' rim, a tread block in the respew e tive openings of both rims bearing on said telly and provided with a flange intermediate the height thereof imprisoned between .said rims, al hook-eye engaged `with said lockingl rim at one side of said telly, a supplemental hook-eye engaged with said lool:- ing' rim at the other sider of said telly, a trans-verse rod rotatably held on the inner surlaceol` said telly and provided with oppositely directed arms, and means :for connecting' each ol said arms with the respective hooloeye.

ln testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN THOMAS lili-TCR? lllitnesscs y MA mu i: rrr AUDsLnr, T. C. Sninnr. 

